Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Message in a Neuron Game MATERIALS Teacher (See Setup) • 24 sheets of 8-1/2in. x 11 in. white card stock • 6 bags, resealable plastic (approx. 4 in. x 6 in.) • Document projector (or overhead projector and transparency of the “Transmitters and Receivers” page) Optional: set of dominoes or small wooden blocks Per Student • Copy of “Locks & Keys Cards” and “Rules of Play” pages • Pair of scissors SETUP Make photocopies of the “Locks & Keys Cards” page using white card stock (four per group) and photocopies of “Rules of Play” page using copy paper (one per student). Have students conduct this activity in groups of four. PROCEDURE Learning About Chemical Messengers 1. Project the “Transmitters & Receivers" page. Point to the top neuron and ask, Where would signals be received on this neuron? (dendrites of cell body). If a signal travels along this neuron, where will to go? (Signal will travel the length of the axon). 2. Point to the gap between the two neurons and ask, What happens when the signal reaches the end of the axon? How could the message get to the next cell? Allow students to discuss different scenarios. List their suggestions on the board. (You may want to group their suggestions into two broad categories: one representing scenarios related to electrical transmission and the other related to possible kinds of chemical transmissions.) 3. Use questions to help students evaluate their list of possible ways for signals to cross the synapse from one neuron to the next. Ask, Which of these choices would allow for rapid communication? (electrical-type communications). Which might allow neurons to send and receive different messages? (systems that use different messengers, such as chemicals). 4. Point out that is some cases, neurons in the human nervous system transmit messages to other neurons. However, in most cases, special chemical messengers (neurotransmitters) are released and travel across the gap to the next neuron, where they attach to molecules called receptors. 5. Distribute photocopies of the “Locks & Keys Cards” and “Rules of Play” pages (see Setup) to each group of students. Have students cut out the cards and arrange one set of cards in a logical sequence using the text of at the bottom of each card as a guide. Discuss the sequence of events shown in the cards with the class. Point out even though the cards depict a sequence in which a neurotransmitter promotes the firing of another neuron, neurotransmitters also communicate a “stop” message, which make it harder for the next neuron to fire. 6. Make a list on the board of the transmission sequence in neuron communication: 1) Message Received; 2) Neuron Fires!; 3) Axon; 4) Neurotransmitters; 5) Synapse; 6) Receptor; 7 New Message; and 8) Recycle. List the sequence in order (top to bottom), but do not number the list. Playing the game 1. Leave the list of steps on the board to help students as they play the game. Depending on the ages and prior knowledge of your students , you may want to erase the sequence after students have played a few rounds of “Locks & Keys.” 2. Explain the game rules to students, which are similar to the card game “Go Fish.” 3. Have students play the game for two or more rounds, or until they are comfortable with he sequence of events depicted on the cards. Have students place cards in the clear plastic bags for storage. Rules of Play Each player is dealt five cards. The remaining cards are placed in a pile in the center of the table. Play proceeds to the left. Players take turns trying to obtain at least three cards in a neurotransmission sequence (run). For example: Axon Neurotransmitters Synapse A run may contain the last and first elements of a sequence. For example: Recycle Message Received Neuron Fires! Each player begins his or her turn by asking any player for a card by name. For example, “Max, do you have any Axons?” If Max has one or more Axon cards, he gives all of them to the asking player, who then receives another turn to ask any player for another card. If Max does not have any Axon cards, he replies, “Locked Up!” and the asking player draws one card from the pile. Wild cards may not be requested or given. If the requested card (not a Wild Card) is drawn from the pile, the asking player receives another turn. Otherwise, the player to the left begins his or her turn. Sets of three or more cards in sequence may be laid down at any time during a player’s turn, including after a card has been drawn from the pile. Players may add cards to their existing runs, but only during their turns. For example, if a player draws a Neuron Fires! card from the pile, he or she may add it to the run beginning with the Axon card that he or she has already laid down. Only one Wild Card may be included in any run (regardless of the number of cards in the run). Once a Wild Card has been used in a run, it may not be moved to another position. If a player has no cards in his or her hand at the end of a turn, he or she draws another card from the pile and waits until his or her next turn. The game proceeds until all cards have been drawn from the center pile, and no player can lay down or add to any more runs. SCORING: A player’s score consists of the number of cards in the runs he or she laid down minus the number of cards still held in his or her hand.